


In The Catbird Seat

by thetomkatwholived



Series: Shipmas 2018 [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Mutual Pining, Ravenclaw Scorpius Malfoy, Shipmas, Shipmas 2018, St. Mungo's
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 11:13:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17042657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetomkatwholived/pseuds/thetomkatwholived
Summary: Albus somehow wound up in St. Mungo's for Christmas. Lucky for him, there's plenty of pain potion and a gorgeous Healer to help get him through the holiday.





	In The Catbird Seat

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired by the Shipmas prompt by [littlerose13writes](https://littlerose13writes.tumblr.com/) for December 18th: Christmas in St Mungo’s doesn’t have to be all bad. 
> 
> The title is a common phrase, but I got it from one of my favorite songs, "The Catbird Seat," by one of my favorite bands, Darlingside. I highly recommend checking them out if you want some new music.
> 
> Enjoy!

Albus Potter was definitely high. Whatever painkiller potion they were pumping into him was definitely killing the pain, as well as any clarity left in his mind.

He had taken a nasty fall while trying to put a tree topper on the large Christmas tree outside the Burrow. He had broken his leg and arm, as well as given himself a concussion. Because of this, he had landed himself in St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. There was nothing particularly magical about his injuries, especially since he had been putting the topper on the tree the Muggle way, at his Grandpa Arthur’s insistence. Having never used a ladder before, he was unprepared for how dubious its stability would be. But had he gone to a Muggle hospital, he’d have to wear casts and wait weeks before healing. The Healers at St. Mungo’s were able to simply wave their wands and repair his bones.

In the haze of his mind, he registered a noise by the door and looked up to see a Healer entering his room. There must have been a shift change, because this Healer was not the same one who had mended his limbs and given him the wonderful painkiller potion. No, this Healer was tall and pale and blonde and Albus could not believe how gorgeous he was. He had only ever seen one other person who he considered to be that gorgeous.

“Hello, Mr. Potter. How are you feeling?” The Healer had a somewhat high, nasally voice, but Albus found it ridiculously endearing.

Ignoring the question, he asked: “You know who you look like?”

The Healer looked up from the chart he was inspecting with an amused smirk, “Who do I look like, Mr. Potter?”

“Scorpius Malfoy. I went to Hogwarts with him. We met on the train, but then I became a Slytherin and he became a Ravenclaw and we didn’t speak again.”

“Is that so?” The Healer looked as if he were on the verge of a laughing fit.

“Yeah. And that’s a huge compliment because he grew up to be unfairly gorgeous. Like, you can’t be smart and beautiful! That’s not fair to us average folk.”

“Hm, he sounds like the worst.”

“Yeah. No. He was the best.” Albus sighed. “I had the biggest crush on him.”

The Healer’s eyes widened to comically large proportions. “Did you, uh, ever tell him that?”

“Nah. He’s out of my league. No, he briefly dated Adam Davies in our seventh year, but I think they broke up after we graduated. And I haven’t seen him since.”

“Hm. Well, back to my original question. How are you feeling?”

 ***

Over the next few hours, almost every member of Albus’s enormous family came to visit him. His Grandpa Arthur was beside himself with guilt, so much of his visit consisted of Albus reassuring him know that he should not blame himself. His parents were almost able to convince the Healers to let them stay until midnight so that Albus did not have to spend Christmas alone, but the Healers ultimately stuck to the visiting hours. Lily found his potion-addled brain to be hilarious and just wanted him to go on drug-filled rants for her whole visit.

Once the last Weasley had left, the gorgeous Healer reappeared, “I’ve never seen someone receive so many visitors. You are very popular.”

“Nope, that’s just my family! They feel bad because I was forced into putting the topper on the tree. They all want to make sure I don’t hate them.”

“Do you?”

“Nah.” Albus chuckled and then grew serious, “Mr. Healer Man?”

“Yes?” The Healer once again wore an amused smirk.

“You’re so pretty.”

With a magnificent blush, the Healer coughed and responded: “Well, I see that painkiller potion is still going strong.”

“No, but you’re so pretty! Only Scorpius Malfoy has ever been so pretty! But he’s… well I don’t know where he is. And he’d never love me back.” Albus sighed. “Would you love me back, Mr. Healer Man?”

The Healer’s expression grew soft and he gently answered: “Yes, Albus, I would. But maybe don’t give up on that Malfoy bloke. Maybe he’s out there pining after you as well.”

“No, he’s not. It’s been years since we saw each other. He’s out there being successful and gorgeous and perfect. And he’s with some equally wonderful man.” Albus couldn’t hide the hurt in his expression.

“If you say so.”

“I wish we had stayed friends after that train ride. I think about that a lot. We’d be best friends and go on all sorts of adventures! And one day, I’d pluck up the courage to tell him how I felt. And we’d be married now, Mr. Healer Man! And he’d be here with me now. You’d like him, probably.”

“I don’t know, he sounds pretty dumb for not noticing you for all those years.”

“Oh, no! He’s so smart! And why would someone like him notice someone like me, anyway? No, he’s amazing.” Albus sighed.

“Maybe he thinks you’re amazing too.”

Albus chuckled, “Nah, he’s probably forgotten about me. It’s been six years. No, I’m that loser who’s still hung up on his school crush.”

“Well, how do you know Scorpius isn’t the same kind of loser?”

Albus shrugged, “Mr. Healer Man, you have a lot of crazy ideas. And you’re so pretty. Just like him.”

The Healer gave a short laugh and said: “Alright, Romeo, let’s check your vitals.”

***

At a quarter to midnight, Albus’s door opened once again, revealing the pretty Healer.

“You’re not in your lime green robes.”

“Hm? Oh, no. My shift ended at 11.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I couldn’t let you celebrate Christmas alone.”

“But don’t you have someone waiting for you at home? You’re much too pretty to be alone.”

“This is where I should be. Where I want to be.”

After a few minutes of contented silence in which Albus sleepily gazed at his Healer, a chime sounded in the distance, signaling the start of a new day.

Albus felt his eyes slide shut as he heard: “Happy Christmas, Albus,” and felt a feather-light brush of lips on his forehead. Happy Christmas indeed.

*** 

The next day saw a steady stream of Weasleys shuffling in to give Albus his gifts and make sure he wasn’t lonely on Christmas. The effects of the painkiller potion had waned and he was much more cognizant of what was happening around him.

Around 3 in the afternoon, his parents and siblings scurried out of his room, finally giving him a reprieve from the constant company. Just as he settled in to take a nap, he heard the door open once again. He looked up and could not hide his surprise at his visitor.

There, standing in the doorway, dressed in an atrocious Christmas jumper decorated with dancing house elves, was Scorpius Malfoy. He, Albus thought, had somehow gotten even more gorgeous in the six years since they had graduated Hogwarts.

“Hello, Albus.” The injured party simply gaped at him. “How are you feeling?”

“What…” Albus cleared his throat, “what are you doing here? How did you know I was here?”

“I have my ways. I came to visit you. To make sure you had a Happy Christmas.”

“Um, it’s a fair bit happier now.” Albus blushed.

Scorpius laughed. Albus could think of no greater sound in the world. “You know, Albus, I often wonder what would have happened had we not stopped talking after sorting. I like to think we’d have been best friends. And maybe more.”

Albus choked. Scorpius gave a small laugh and continued, “I only dated Adam Davies because he looks a lot like you. Except his eyes. Every time I looked into his eyes, I found myself wishing the blue was actually an emerald. Like your eyes.”

“But… I…” Albus fumbled for words.

“I never stopped thinking about you, you know? Especially after you came back taller and broader at the start of fourth year. I thought you were the most handsome person I’d ever seen. You still are. I still thought about you after we graduated too.”

“I’m dreaming, right? This is some drug-induced dream and I’m going to wake up and everything will be back to normal.”

“Do you want it to be a dream?”

“Of course not! But it must be! There’s no way you could be here, saying all of this to me.”

“I’ve fancied you for about a decade.” Scorpius grabbed Albus’s hand and entwined their fingers.

Albus stared at their joined hands and let out a shaky breath, “This can’t be real. The man of your dreams doesn’t just randomly visit you in the hospital and say these things to you.”

“Believe what you want, but I’m really here and I mean every word I say.” Albus stared at him, awestruck. “I have to leave now.” He made to exit the room.

“Wait! How… will I find you again?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll see each other again sooner than you think.” And on that vague note, Scorpius left Albus’s room but not before casting a heated look at Albus over his shoulder. Albus was left alone, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart. This was certainly his happiest Christmas.

*** 

Early the next morning, as he was reading a book, he heard his door open and excitedly exclaimed, without looking up: “Mr. Healer Man, you’ll never guess what happened yesterday!”

“I actually think I may have a vague idea.”

Albus’s head shot up. Without the potion clouding his mind, he easily recognized that voice. But… there was no way!

But somehow, there was a way. There, standing in front of his bed in lime green Healer robes, was Scorpius Malfoy, wearing a smug smirk.

“You… you… have you been my Healer the whole time?!”

“Well, not the whole time. Lottie was your original Healer, but I saw your name on her chart and convinced her to switch with me. It was kind of difficult; she was very taken with you. I have to take her New Year’s Eve shift.”

“But… why?”

“I’ve been waiting years to run into you again. I wasn’t about to let you slip through my fingers when this lovely opportunity was presented to me.”

Albus was finding it hard to breathe. “Why?”

“Albus, I _like_ you. I’ve liked you since fourth year. We went over this yesterday.”

“Oh God!” Albus suddenly remembered his potion-induced ramblings. “You just stood there and listened to me gush about you! Both you and… you! Like, Scorpius and Mr. Healer Man! Oh my God!”

“It was so adorable. I’m so glad I didn’t introduce myself right away. And I must say, it was incredibly flattering.”

Albus blushed and whispered: “I mean, you are gorgeous…”  

“And so are you. No, don’t give me that look! You are! I meant everything I said yesterday.”

“This has been the greatest Christmas of my life. I forgive my whole family for bullying me into climbing that ladder.” Albus and Scorpius shared a laugh at that.

“I am actually here for a professional reason, not just to flirt with you. You’re ready to be discharged today so I’m here to do a final vitals check and send you on your way!”

“Oh. Yes. I guess… yes.” Albus felt conflicted. On the one hand, he was happy to be fully mended and ready to go home. But on the other, he very much enjoyed spending time with Scorpius, even if he only just realized it was him.

“But Albus? My shift ends at 5 and there is a lovely French restaurant around the corner that I am a big fan of. And perhaps I will venture there tonight after my shift.”

Albus looked up into Scorpius’s stormy, grey eyes to see a coy, yet hopeful expression. “Oh? I do enjoy French cuisine. And I’ve always been one to eat dinner early.”

“Hm. Well, it seems a shame to waste two tables on little ol’ us. It would probably be best to share a table. And as a Healer, I must recommend taking a leisurely stroll after a large supper, to help with digestion. And what do you know! There’s a wonderful little park near the restaurant that would probably still be decorated for Christmas. Trees, fairy lights, maybe the occasional mistletoe...” Scorpius trailed off with a suggestive smile.

Albus couldn’t hide his delighted grin. This was for sure a date. A date with Scorpius Malfoy in which he had all but guaranteed a kiss. Or kisses! Albus cleared his throat: “Yes, I think that sounds like a good plan. Very smart. No wonder you’re a Ravenclaw.”

“Excellent! It’s a date!” They both blushed.

Scorpius finished Albus’s final vital check and got him ready to leave. As Albus packed up his belongings, Scorpius placed his hand on Albus’s. “I mean it. It’s a date.”

Albus gave him a dopey smile. Maybe Christmas at St. Mungo’s doesn’t have to be all bad.

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks to Sophie, [plaudiusplants](https://plaudiusplants.tumblr.com/), for being my beta for this fic! Feel free to come find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
